Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa of Ondo State has urged members of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) and residents to refrain from participating in the planned nationwide protest on August 1.
Aiyedatiwa, through his Special Adviser on Union Matters, Comrade Bola Taiwo, stated that while peaceful protest is acceptable, the upcoming demonstration could lead to significant harm, given recent experiences in Kenya and the EndSARS protests.
Speaking at a peace meeting attended by former NURTW chairmen Oba Solomon Adejayan, Chief Oladutele Obayoriade, and Jacob Adebo, the governor appealed to union members to avoid the protest in the interest of state and public safety.
Taiwo emphasized that the governor is committed to preventing any unrest and destruction. “We don’t want any chaos in our state; we should avoid joining this protest. Our goal is peace for Ondo State and the South West region,” Taiwo stated.
Ademola Odudu, state chairman of the NURTW, supported the governor’s stance, urging members to stay away from actions that could disrupt law and order. He noted, “We are not troublemakers and do not wish to destabilize our constitutional government. The planned protest aims to undermine President Bola Tinubu’s administration.”
Odudu warned that any NURTW members participating in the protest would face disciplinary action.
